Multilevel Revising

 

Once you have a rough draft, then break down your revising tasks so you are concentrating on one thing at a time.  Each of the following tasks in each level must be done specifically and thoroughly before moving on to the next item.

 

Level 1:   Point, focus, audience, and organization.

 

• First, discover your point, or your purpose for writing.  Is it clearly stated in your thesis or first sentence?  What point do you clearly want to convey?  Are you saying it specifically?  You may need to do some brainstorming or freewriting here to pinpoint something worth saying.

 

• Second, is the focus clear?  Does your point remain consistent throughout the correspondence?  Get rid of the material that isn’t relevant.

 

• Third, is the writing appropriate for the intended audience?  Style and tone are relevant here.

 

• Fourth, are the parts of the paper presented in the most effective order?  Do you want to start softly and end strongly?  Do you need to sandwich the weakest point in the middle?  What choices do you need to make here?  

 

• Now, put the paper down.  You may have been working on these specific tasks for a considerable length of time.  Let it rest.

 

Level 2:  Idea development.

 

• Next, read the paper looking for ideas that need to be made more convincing by further development.  Are there places where you could be more specific?

 

• Does each paragraph have a clear and specific topic sentence that supports the point or thesis statement?

 

• Is each paragraph fully developed?

 

• Do you need to include more examples, facts, arguments, or illustrations to make your point more convincing?

 

• Is your introduction eye-catching, interesting, and does it lead the reader right into the thesis?

 

• Is your conclusion witty, clever, and brief?

 

• If you have the time, let it rest.  Like a fine wine, it only improves with age.

 

Level 3:  Sentence structure and wording.

 

• You have a solid point and valid evidence.  Now you need to narrow your revising to concerns of sentence structure and specific wording.  Have you used a varied sentence structure, paying attention to the uses of short, medium, and long sentences?

 

• Do you vary the structure of your sentences so that your writing is not monotonous?

 

• Is your wording clear, precise, and concise?  Does every word “tell”?

 

• Delete wordy phrases.  Further, check the thesaurus for any words that you overuse.

 

Level 4:  Editing.

 

Before the final printing of your paper, check for errors in:

·         Format.  How does your paper “look”?  Is it appealing?

·         Comma usage, fragments, run-ons, comma splices.

·         Other punctuation: semi-colons are often misused!  If you don’t know how to use them, then don’t!

·         Subject-verb agreement and pronoun-antecedent agreement.

·         Spelling. Spellcheck always!

·         Consider using a computer grammar check, keeping in mind they aren’t always accurate.

 

You can now hand in your work with assurance that you have completed all tasks with care and consideration.